Written Answers Monday 27 November 2006

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 18 have been admitted to hospital because of alcohol-related problems in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS hospital.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on admissions. Information on the number of discharges has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41030).

  Table 1 shows the number of discharges from Scottish general/acute hospitals, of children under the age of 18 with an alcohol-related diagnosis, broken down by hospital, for 1997-98 to 2004-05.

  Table 2 shows alcohol-related discharges from mental and psychiatric hospitals for children under the age of 18 years, from 1997-98 to 2002-03 (the most recent year for which complete data is available).

Concessionary Travel

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the national concessionary travel scheme to individuals who are not senior citizens.

Tavish Scott: The Scotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People already fully meets the Partnership Agreement commitment. As the First Minister and I announced on 9 November 2006, a separate concessionary travel scheme for all young people between the ages of 16 and 18 will start in January 2007. We have no current plans to extend the concessions available under either scheme to any other groups.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have suffered from (a) an alcohol dependency and (b) a drug addiction problem.

Robert Brown: This information is not held centrally. Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) has, however, carried out research which is published in Social Backgrounds of Children Referred to the Reporter: a pilot study . A copy is available from SCRA’s website at www.scra.gov.uk .

Education

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to continue its Integrated Community Schools project.

Hugh Henry: The Integrated Community Schools project has developed since its launch in 1998 and the concept is now mainstreamed into the wider integrated children’s services agenda. In this context it is no longer appropriate to think of integrated community schools as a separate school-based initiative.

  £25.8 million is made available each year to local authorities, through the National Priorities Action Fund, to help support this broader framework for delivering integrated children’s services at school and neighbourhood level.

Environment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29350 by Ross Finnie on 10 November 2006, how many of the 65 detected incidents of pesticides exceeding the maximum residue level in 2005 were in produce originating or processed in Scotland and whether any enforcement action was taken.

Ross Finnie: The pesticide residues monitoring programme is UK-wide and it is not possible to determine origin within the UK from the information available. Of the 65 incidents in 2005 where pesticide residues exceeded the maximum residue level, seven involved produce labelled as UK origin.

  Enforcement action has been initiated in respect of one incident. The enforcement process identified that the produce in question did not originate in Scotland.

  The Pesticide Residues Committee publish quarterly reports that contain brand names and details of produce that exceed the maximum residue levels and any follow up action taken.

External Relations

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes were achieved as a result of the recent visit to New Zealand by the Minister for Parliamentary Business.

Ms Margaret Curran: During the October recess I visited Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland at the invitation of the New Zealand Government. The primary focus of the visit was to witness the operation of a parliamentary and government system with strong parallels with Scotland, and to compare and contrast that system with the Scottish system. I undertook a series of engagements aimed at promoting Scotland on the international stage with particular emphasis on governance, tourism and the business economy.

  In Wellington I met with a range of Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum. I was welcomed onto the floor of the House by the Prime Minister Helen Clark and had discussions with the Speaker, the Leader of the House, and the Whips about how the New Zealand Parliament manages its business and legislative programme. I was also able to explore with the Ombudsman what lessons might be drawn from the way that New Zealand has developed a mature and pragmatic approach to Freedom of Information in the 25 years since their legislation was introduced. I also met with representatives of the Immigration Services to discuss areas of mutual interest in attracting talent to our respective countries – particular interest was expressed in our relocation advisory service.

  I was impressed by the breadth of knowledge and interest in modern Scotland and its political system. I took the opportunity to highlight what devolution has delivered for the people of Scotland – culturally, economically and through legislative change – in a speech that I made at the Scottish Studies Institute, at Victoria University. In Dunedin I visited the medical faculty at Otago University which has strong links with Edinburgh. I met a number of academics, including the Hon Dr Clive Matthewson, who is about to announce the establishment of a Centre for Scottish Studies at Otago University. The purpose of the centre will be to pursue research and teaching into aspects of Scottish history, culture and society that will illuminate its influence on the formation of New Zealand identity and assess its contribution to New Zealand’s economic, social and cultural development.

  The Scottish diaspora is strong in New Zealand, with 50% of New Zealanders claiming Scottish heritage The interest in how devolution is working in Scotland was striking and the enthusiasm to develop practical links was strong. There are potential business and academic advantages in building on this shared heritage. In Dunedin, I undertook a number of engagements including a visit to the Settlers Museum and a visit to New Zealand Natural History, a local business that produces HD natural history films which are distributed worldwide - demonstrating that remoteness does not prevent both businesses and universities from being leaders in their field.

  In Auckland I hosted a lunch for New Zealand based Globalscots and senior business representatives who either have already invested in Scotland, or are considering doing so. This was the first opportunity for these interests to be brought together since the appointment of our SDI representative in Australasia. A number of potentially interesting developments are likely to be taken forward as a result of these discussions. In addition, I had the honour of being received by the Governor General, Judge Anand Satyanand, with whom I had a very productive discussion on issues of interest to Scotland and New Zealand.

  Throughout my visit I was accompanied by the British High Commissioner, George Fergusson, who himself has strong links with Scotland. The High Commissioner was an invaluable guide drawing on his family’s long association with New Zealand.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has prepared to ensure the continued provision of ferry services on the Gourock to Dunoon route currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct Caledonian MacBrayne to continue to operate the ferry service on the Gourock to Dunoon route and, if so, whether it will provide a subsidy to Caledonian MacBrayne for the provision of that service.

Tavish Scott: CalMac Ferries Ltd will continue to provide its Gourock to Dunoon service until such times as an alternative arrangement is put in place.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) passengers and (b) vehicles were carried on the North Channel ferry services in each year since 1999.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is given in table 10.12 (a) of Scottish Transport Statistics , published by the Scottish Executive in 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37306). Figures which have subsequently become available are on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/transtat/stsupdate. The printed version of Scottish Transport Statistics 2006 will be published on 18 December 2006.

Gaelic

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made for identifying learning difficulties such as dyslexia in students in Gaelic-medium education.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what year of primary school the identification of students with learning difficulties in Gaelic-medium education commences.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support has been provided for students with learning difficulties in Gaelic-medium education in the last 10 years, broken down by local authority.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies and resources are available to students with learning difficulties in Gaelic-medium education, broken down by local authority.

Hugh Henry: All local authorities in Scotland operate an inclusive policy that includes a mainstreaming presumption, however it is a presumption, not an inflexible rule. Pupils with additional support needs will be supported by their respective local authorities irrespective of the language medium of instruction in which their education is delivered. There is no differentiation between the level of support provided to Gaelic-medium pupils and other pupils.

  Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, Education Authorities must make arrangements, as they consider appropriate, for identifying from amongst the children and young people for whom they are responsible, those who have additional support needs. They must then make adequate and efficient provision for the additional support required for each child or young person so identified. These duties apply to a child at the pre school stage who is in pre school provision managed by the education authority. The education authority must also take action at various transition points in a child’s or young person’s school career to establish the additional support needs of the children or young persons. Under these procedures the education authority is then under a duty to ensure that the identified provision is then in place.

  It should be noted that there are few Gaelic speaking additional support needs teachers and auxiliaries available to support the needs of Gaelic-medium pupils with additional support needs. On the recommendation of the Gaelic-Medium Teachers’ Action Group, the Executive is addressing this staffing issue and has provided funding for Bòrd na Gàidhlig to appoint a Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Officer. The recruitment officer, in collaboration with the Bòrd’s Education Manager, is responsible for promoting Gaelic education opportunities among school pupils and university under-graduates, liaising with universities and Teacher Education Institutions on Gaelic-medium courses and working in partnership with local authorities to provide appropriate opportunities for continuous professional development for Gaelic medium teachers and support staff.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29360 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2006, what the statement "the Chief Medical Officer will then consider what might need to be done" means in terms of action and timescale.

Mr Andy Kerr: As I indicated in the answer to question S2W-29360 on 10 November 2006, the Chief Medical Officer will want to consider the result of the stock take currently being undertaken by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) of all the initiatives in place in Scotland aimed at managing venous thromboembolism, of which DVT is one of the common presentations. The Chief Medical Officer will consider in particular, as a matter of urgency, the action that needs to be taken in terms of raising awareness amongst health care professionals of the management, including diagnosis, of DVT.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there should be national guidance on the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive has accepted the recommendation from the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman that consideration should be given to the need for Scotland-wide guidance on the management of DVT. The development of any clinical guidance is primarily a matter for NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that more action should be taken to raise public awareness of deep vein thrombosis.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is already considerable public awareness of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) through the information leaflets produced by NHS boards and organisations such as Lifeblood, the Thrombosis Charity . NHS Quality Improvement Scotland’s stock taking work includes collating all current information leaflets. We will then be able to consider what further action might be taken to increase public awareness.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has regular contact with NHS Lanarkshire, as it does with all NHS boards, on a wide range of issues.

  NHS boards are statutorily responsible for providing or securing primary medical services for their local populations. How that is achieved is a matter for each NHS board taking into account the needs of the local population and local circumstances.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with United Healthcare regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has had no communications with United Healthcare regarding the tendering of primary medical services.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with Simon Stevens, President of United Healthcare and former adviser to the Prime Minister, regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has had no communications with Simon Stevens regarding the tendering of primary medical services.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in relation to the contracting for primary medical services from for-profit companies.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2004 places a duty on NHS boards to provide or secure primary medical services for their populations. The Act provides the legal framework for NHS boards to discharge this duty by providing primary medical services directly (i.e. salaried services) or by making arrangements through contracts or agreements with a range of primary medical service providers, including for-profit businesses and voluntary or not-for-profit organisations.

  In Scotland, the vast majority of primary medical services are provided by general practitioners under contract with NHS boards. These general practitioners are not employees of health boards, but independent, self-employed practitioners that own and run GP practices as businesses for profit. This has been the case since the NHS was set up in 1948.

  How NHS boards discharge their duty to provide or secure primary medical services is a matter for each NHS board taking into account the needs of the local population and local circumstances. So long as the traditional model of contracting for primary medical services continues to work for the benefit of local patients and communities, we see no reason why this would change.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital receipts have been to each local authority from the sales of council houses since 1979, expressed at 2005 prices.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following tables show the total value of sales to sitting tenants of local authority stock, at 2005 prices. Table 1 shows sales to April 1996, by old district council area and table 2 shows sales from April 1996 by local authority area. Note that the reorganisation of local government districts in April 1996 means that it is not possible to present the total value of sales from 1979 in one table.

  Table 1 – Total Value of Sitting Tenant Right to Buy, Rent to Mortgage and Voluntary Sales, 1979-80 to 1995-96 by Old District Council Area, Expressed at 2005 Prices.

  

 
Total Value of Sales 
(£ Million)


 Scotland
 4,584.0


 Berwickshire ODC
 19.0


 Ettrick and Lauderdale ODC
 31.4


 Roxburgh ODC
 36.0


 Tweeddale ODC
 11.1


 Clackmannan ODC
 53.7


 Falkirk ODC
 178.4


 Stirling ODC
 86.1


 Annandale and Eskdale ODC
 40.1


 Nithsdale ODC
 54.3


 Stewartry ODC
 21.9


 Wigtown ODC
 32.8


 Dunfermline ODC
 131.1


 Kirkcaldy ODC
 146.7


 North East Fife ODC
 70.2


 Aberdeen ODC
 239.8


 Banff and Buchan ODC
 85.5


 Gordon ODC
 61.4


 Kincardine and Deeside ODC
 35.9


 Moray ODC
 92.4


 Badenoch and Strathspey ODC
 13.1


 Caithness ODC
 20.8


 Inverness ODC
 53.1


 Lochaber ODC
 25.8


 Nairn ODC
 10.2


 Ross and Cromarty ODC
 36.1


 Skye and Lochalsh ODC
 7.2


 Sutherland ODC
 9.7


 East Lothian ODC
 125.5


 Edinburgh ODC
 337.6


 Midlothian ODC
 102.0


 West Lothian ODC
 116.9


 Argyll and Bute ODC
 53.3


 Bearsden and Milngavie ODC
 18.0


 Clydebank ODC
 55.3


 Clydesdale ODC
 41.6


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth ODC
 24.3


 Cumnock and Doon Valley ODC
 37.9


 Cunninghame ODC
 112.5


 Dumbarton ODC
 52.1


 East Kilbride ODC
 14.9


 Eastwood ODC
 16.9


 Glasgow ODC
 524.5


 Hamilton ODC
 126.6


 Inverclyde ODC
 65.9


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun ODC
 71.3


 Kyle and Carrick ODC
 131.1


 Monklands ODC
 124.7


 Motherwell ODC
 154.6


 Renfrew ODC
 194.1


 Strathkelvin ODC
 77.2


 Angus ODC
 86.6


 Dundee ODC
 154.1


 Perth and Kinross ODC
 116.4


 Orkney Islands ODC
 13.0


 Shetland Islands ODC
 16.3


 Western Isles ODC
 14.7



  Table 2 – Total Value of Sitting Tenant Right to Buy, Rent to Mortgage and Voluntary Sales, 1996-97 to 2005-06 by Local Authority Area, Expressed at 2005 Prices.

  

 
Total Value of Sales
(£ Million)


 Scotland
 2,565.8


 Aberdeen City
 144.5


 Aberdeenshire
 87.7


 Angus
 45.8


 Argyll and Bute
 38.4


 Clackmannanshire
 29.2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 50.1


 Dundee City
 44.3


 East Ayrshire
 87.0


 East Dunbartonshire
 47.2


 East Lothian
 82.0


 East Renfrewshire
 21.6


 Edinburgh (City of)
 132.8


 Falkirk
 106.6


 Fife
 177.7


 Glasgow City
 192.4


 Highland
 133.3


 Inverclyde
 43.7


 Midlothian
 62.0


 Moray
 40.8


 North Ayrshire
 76.4


 North Lanarkshire
 245.0


 Orkney
 6.8


 Perth and Kinross
 55.3


 Renfrewshire
 86.2


 Scottish Borders
 24.3


 Shetland
 15.4


 South Ayrshire
 57.1


 South Lanarkshire
 216.1


 Stirling
 53.0


 West Dunbartonshire
 50.0


 West Lothian
 104.3


 Eilean Siar
 8.7



  Source: Scottish Executive Development Department Analytical Services Division Housing Statistics branch.

  Notes:

  1. For this analysis, the total value of sales was converted to 2005 prices using the UK GDP deflator. The GDP deflator is a measure of inflation across the whole domestic economy.

  2. Local government reorganisation replaced the 56 old district councils and five new towns with 32 local authorities on the 1 April 1996. This reorganisation means that it is not possible to present the total value of sales from 1979 in one table.

  3. The dataset upon which the analysis is based records sales to individuals only. It excludes any block transfers of council houses to housing association ownership.

  4. Figures for Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and the Scottish Borders are excluded from April 2003 following the transfer of stock to housing association ownership. The total value of sales recorded in these areas from 2003 quarter 2 is £93.3 million, in 2005 prices.

  5. Scotland totals may not equal the sum of the districts or local authorities because of rounding.

Justice

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any official guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of court-appointed solicitors.

Cathy Jamieson: There are no official guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of court appointed solicitors.

  Direction will be provided by the presiding judge, as to the specific roles and responsibilities that require to be fulfilled in any particular case.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fiscal fines have been issued in each year since 1999.

Elish Angiolini QC: The following table shows the number of conditional offers of Fiscal Fine issued to accused persons by Procurators Fiscal in each year since 1999.

  Fiscal Fines Issued

  

 Year
 Number


 1999-2000
 35,329


 2000-01
 34,945


 2001-02
 33,229


 2002-03
 35,353


 2003-04
 42,361


 2004-05
 41,328


 2005-06
 46,080



  Source: Information collected by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service each month from its operational case-tracking system.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) legally and (b) non-legally qualified staff have been employed in the Procurator Fiscal Service in each year since 1999.

Elish Angiolini QC: The following table shows the number of legally and non-legally qualified staff in post at 1 April each year since 1999. These figures are recorded on a full time equivalent basis and do not include staff on unpaid leave or casual staff.

  

 Date
 Legally Qualified
 Trainee Solicitors
 Non-Legally Qualified
 Total


 1 April 1999
 292
 10
 763.8
 1,065.8


 1 April 2000
 306.4
 13
 797.2
 1,116.6


 1 April 2001
 332.7
 18
 811.2
 1,161.9


 1 April 2002
 355
 27
 869.7
 1,251.7


 1 April 2003
 377.4
 37
 963.3
 1,377.7


 1 April 2004
 398.7
 37
 996.8
 1,428.5


 1 April 2005
 401.3
 32
 961.8
 1,395.1


 1 April 2006
 403.1
 32
 996.3
 1,431.5

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the Local Government Finance Review Committee report.

George Lyon: We will need time to give the committee’s conclusions and findings detailed and careful consideration. The issues it was asked to review are substantial ones and it would not be appropriate to rush to comment.

Medical Research

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations have been made anent the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) strategic review of virology and its likely implications for the MRC Virology Unit in Glasgow.

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make a submission to the Medical Research Council’s strategic review of virology.

Lewis Macdonald: The Health Department, Chief Scientist Office, has received representation from three members of MRC staff employed in the Virology Unit in Glasgow and an indirect approach from the MRC Trade Union Side.

  Research Councils are the responsibility of the UK Government and any decision on the outcome of the review of the unit is a reserved matter. CSO has, however, been invited by the MRC to provide a submission reflecting the Scottish Executive Health Department perspective. This will form part of the documentation to inform the strategic review group.

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average life expectancy has been in each local authority ward in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh, (c) Dundee, (d) Aberdeenshire and (e) Aberdeen in each year since 1997.

George Lyon: Life expectancy figures are not available for local authority wards because their population is too small to allow accurate estimates to be made.

  Currently, life expectancy at birth is calculated at local authority and NHS board area. Information for the period 1981-83 to 2003-05 is available from the General Register Office for Scotland website through the following link: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/life-expectancy/le2003-05/index.html.

National Health Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive why users of Glasgow hospitals, who are not residents of Glasgow city, are not able to access the recently launched evening visitor scheme and when this situation will be rectified.

Mr Andy Kerr: The evening visitor scheme was launched last month by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) in partnership with Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Community Transport Glasgow (CTG). Using CTG minibuses, it provides free evening transport to hospitals to residents of Glasgow City.

  NHSGGC is working with each of its Local Authority partners to improve access to health and healthcare facilities. Developments are underway in Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire. Each of these projects differs depending on need within each area and the availability of capacity to provide transport within partner agencies.

  NHS boards are already significantly involved in transport issues as they endeavour to improve access to health facilities. Their representation on their local Regional Transport Partnerships provides a real opportunity to develop a coherent and strategic approach to transport in their area, and to develop innovative solutions to providing access to health facilities. This representation also offers the opportunity of developing a strong strategic relationship between the RTPs and NHS boards, but this needs to be based on a better understanding of their shared responsibility for the provision of transport to health services, and of the potential of the private and voluntary sectors in provision of that transport.

Nursing

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new age discrimination legislation will have on the level of bursaries available for nursing students.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am currently considering the impact of this legislation on the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme and will reach a decision as soon as possible.

Nursing

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses employed in the NHS are aged (a) 60 to 64, (b) 65 to 68, (c) 69 and (d) 70 or more.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in the following table. Latest available figures are at 30 September 2005.

  

 Age
 60-64
 65-68
 69
 70+


 NHS Scotland
 1,800
 97
 4
 4



  Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data are collected and notes to aid interpretation, is given in the Background Notes document on the Workforce Statistics homepage at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

Nursing

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified nurses whose registration is current are aged (a) 60 to 64, (b) 65 to 68, (c) 69 and (d) 70 or more.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows registered nursing and midwifery staff working in NHS Scotland by age. Latest available data is at 30 September 2005. Centrally held information covers registered (qualified) nursing and midwifery staff working in NHS Scotland, however does not include registered nurses working in care homes or those not currently practising.

  Headcount as at 30 September 2005

  

 
 60-64
 65-68
 60
 70+


 NHS Scotland
 715
 32
 2
 2



  Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data are collected and notes to aid interpretation, is given in the Background Notes document on the Workforce Statistics homepage at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been in funded posts in each year since 1999, broken down by force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Prison Service

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether court-appointed solicitors have any specific training with regard to gathering information on children and families for independent non-biased court reports.

Cathy Jamieson: Court-appointed solicitors receive no specific training with regard to gathering such information.

  As regards any particular case, the judge will give direction should there be elements of the case that require particular scrutiny, or should there be areas in which he/she requires specific information. Should the reporter have any doubts as regards their particular role or responsibility in the case, they may request further direction from the judge.

Prison Service

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of drugs has been seized from each prison in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003, (h) 2004, (i) 2005 and (j) 2006.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is not available as SPS pass suspected substances and packages to the police.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners in each prison were sentenced for drug-related offences, including offences to fund drug habits, (a) in total and (b) broken down by category of offence in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of all prisoners in each category.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  (a) The available information is given in the following table:

  Number of Sentenced Prisoners on 30 June 2005 where the Main Offence was Drugs-Related

  

 
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 Aberdeen
 30
 30
 28
 28
 35


 Barlinnie
 88
 87
 87
 74
 135


 Castle Huntly
 50
 49
 64
 56
 49


 Cornton Vale
 48
 57
 49
 48
 48


 Dumfries
 1
 11
 30
 16
 8


 Edinburgh
 59
 69
 71
 82
 118


 Glenochil 
 94
 128
 125
 127
 83


 Greenock
 3
 10
 22
 36
 32


 Inverness
 11
 12
 18
 21
 19


 Kilmarnock
 84
 85
 82
 87
 93


 Low Moss
 51
 35
 45
 32
 57


 Noranside
 28
 37
 49
 49
 52


 Perth
 88
 111
 113
 103
 66


 Peterhead
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0


 Polmont
 15
 23
 19
 14
 17


 Shotts
 97
 64
 47
 72
 56



  (b) Information on offences to fund drug habits and the category is not available.

Prison Service

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are followed on admission to prison to assess whether a prisoner is a drug addict or receiving treatment for drug addiction; how long this assessment takes, and what practices are followed to address any addiction or to continue existing treatment programmes.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisoners undergo a health care assessment on admission to identify any health care needs. If a prisoner reports that they have a drug or alcohol problem this will be noted for further assessment by a doctor, within 24 hours of admission. Following consultation clinical support will be prescribed if this is appropriate. This may include medication for detoxification, stabilisation or maintenance.

  All prisoners serving over 31 days can access the Enhanced Addictions Casework Service. They are referred to this service via a core screening process within 72 hours of admission; a self-referral route is also available. This service comprises a Harm Reduction Session, comprehensive, specialist assessment and a range of one-to-one and group interventions. All admissions into prison attend the Harm Reduction Session within five days as part of the National Prisoner Induction Programme.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ownership of Addiewell prison will revert to the Executive when the 25-year contract ends and, if so, whether there will be a cost to the Executive at that time; if there will be a cost, what it will be and on what calculation the payment will be made; if there will be no cost, on what basis the prison would continue to be operated, and whether the payment rate will change and, if so, in what way.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  When the 25 year contract for HM Prison Addiewell ends, ownership of the prison assets will transfer to the Scottish Prison Service. No cost will be incurred in respect of this ownership change at the end of the contract period.

  Consideration of the most appropriate method of operating the prison at Addiewell beyond the expiry of the 25 year contract will take place towards the end of the contract period. The outcome of this exercise, and any related procurement process, will determine the cost of continuing to operate the prison.

School Transport

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to local authorities on external tendering for the operation of school bus services and whether a pilot tendering system for improved operation of these services will be trialled.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive provides information on procurement policy and general guidance for the Scottish public sector.

  The Executive’s guidance to education authorities on provision of school transport includes advice on contracting with bus providers. The guidance is on the Scottish Executive website, at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/School-Education/18056/schooltransportation.

  It is for authorities themselves to negotiate with local transport providers on the terms and conditions of school transport contracts. Ministers cannot intervene in the detail of those negotiations.

  The Scottish Executive has no plans to pilot a new tendering system.

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have come from a home with (a) both parents, (b) one parent and (c) no parents in residence.

Robert Brown: Information on the living groups of children referred to the reporter was published for the first time in the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration’s (SCRA) Annual Report for 2005-06  on 16 November 2006. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 40988) or from SCRA’s website at www.scra.gov.uk. This information was not previously collected.

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have come from a home where (a) both parents have and (b) one parent has an alcohol dependency problem.

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have come from a home where (a) both parents have and (b) one parent has a drug addiction problem.

Robert Brown: This information is not held centrally. Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) has however carried out research which is published in Social Backgrounds of Children Referred to the Reporter: a pilot study . A copy is available from SCRA’s website at www.scra.gov.uk .

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have been victims of abuse.

Robert Brown: The information requested is published in Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) Annual Reports and Statistical Bulletins. Copies are available from SCRA’s website at www.scra.gov.uk .

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in each of the last 10 years have been repeat referrals.

Robert Brown: Information is only available on the number of re-referrals on offence grounds. This information can be found in the Youth Justice Performance Reports at www.scra.gov.uk .

Scottish Qualifications Authority Act 2002

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial set up and (b) annual costs to (i) the Executive, (ii) local authorities, (iii) other public sector organisations or bodies and (iv) other individuals, organisations and bodies of the Scottish Qualifications Authority Act 2002 were projected to be in the Financial Memorandum to the bill and what the actual (1) initial set up costs were and (2) annual costs have been in each year since the act came into force, in each category.

Robert Brown: The Standing Orders of the Scottish Parliament require all bills on introduction to be accompanied by a Financial Memorandum which sets out the best estimates of the administrative, compliance and other costs to which the provisions of the bill would give rise, best estimates of the timescales over which such costs would be expected to arise, and an indication of the margins of uncertainty in such estimates. The Financial Memorandum must distinguish separately such costs as would fall upon (a) the Scottish Administration, (b) local authorities and (c) other bodies, individuals and businesses. These memoranda are freely available on the Scottish Parliament’s website.

  The only costs identified in the Financial Memorandum to the Scottish Qualifications Authority Bill relate to the remuneration of members of the Board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the running of the Advisory Council. Information on the actual remuneration of board members is contained in the SQA’s annual accounts for 2005-06 which are publicly available from the SQA by request and will shortly be posted on the SQA’s website. By way of comparable information on the costs relating to the Advisory Council in 2005-06, these are estimated at £12,000.

Teachers

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified teachers have secured permanent teaching posts in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07 following their probationary year.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally.

  However, Audit Scotland published a report in May 2006 on the implementation of the agreement A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century. It reported that "research in 2005 for the General Teaching Council for Scotland among those who completed their induction year in 2005, found that almost 95% of respondents were now teaching in Scotland, of which 70% were in full-time permanent employment."

  Research by the General Teaching Council for Scotland into the 2005-06 probationers who successfully completed their induction year in June 2006 is not yet complete.

Water Charges

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average domestic water and sewage bills have been in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Rhona Brankin: The average household charges are shown as follows for each year since 2000-01 when unified charges were introduced across each of the areas covered by the former Water Authorities. Prior to that year, the information is not available in the form requested.

  

 
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 West of Scotland Water Authority
£168.00
£201.00
 
 
 
 
 


 East of Scotland Water Authority
£200.25
£237.21
 
 
 
 
 


 North of Scotland Water Authority
£238.27
£278.23
 
 
 
 
 


 Scottish Water -North
 -
 -
£278.23
£278.23
 -
 -
 -


 Scottish Water-East and West
 -
 -
£235.72
£259.06
 -
 -
 -


 Scottish Water- All Areas
 
 
 
 
£272.39
£280.00
£287.00